Another doctor's appointment

Had another visit with the doc yesterday and things look like they are moving along well. I gained another 2kg this month. Blargh. Although in my partial defence, the other visits were in the morning and this one was in the afternoon. In reality, it was a sign I maybe have been eating a little too much unhealthy food of late. I developed a love for fudge and for cake. Both? Ba-a-a-a-a-d. I also measured a little big in the belly, at 26 inches. "They" say that you should be one inch for every week along you are and I am 24 weeks now. Although the doctor was not at all concerned. My uterus is as big as it should be, the babe's heartbeat was 140 bpm, and I got my flu shot. Although my blood pressure may have been high, since the nurse laid the seemingly endless needle on a tray in the room. And I got to stare at said needle while waiting. Needles? They are icky.

I have been booked for a gestational diabetes screen, happening on October 28. I have to fast 3 hours and then at the lab I have to drink something sweet and get my sugar tested 1 hour later. Must remember reading material that day. Because of the history of diabetes in my family, it'll be good to get this test done. And I just continue to hope that the pregnancy continues smoothly, and that there are no signs of my body not treating sugars properly. And the next follow-up is Nov 13th, with the doc.

My doctor is part of a group, mom care docs, who all apparently share patients and whoever is on call that week will deliver the baby. I have choosen to only see the one doctor, instead of rotating, just because I believe in the importance of a good patient/doctor relationship and I want to be sure that I am comfortable with whoever I need to talk to. Although for the next visit I have ended up seeing someone esle. The nurse assures me they are "wonderful" but I don't know that. I know that the role of the doctor in labour is to come in for the last bit and do the removal. I am pretty sure at that point I will not care who is between my legs, just as long as they are there to get this baby out! But for the visits before? It's just different. We'll see how the next visit goes.

There are toss-ups between using this group of docs and a regular ole OB. One thing, my visits are never more than 10 minutes late. I have heard stories from other friends who have waited hours for their appointments with their OB. I am not that patient, that is certain. But with this group, I now don't know who I'll be seeing. Will they get my sometimes inappropriate sense of humour? Will they be on the harsh side with me? (if I get babied, I panic and think there must be something wrong with me). Will I feel comfortable with them?

I also signed up for a study at the UofA, looking at nutrition in the mother and a child's outcomes. While I know the importance of this kind of research and I know that by helping I am improving science. I also remember the joys of clinical research from my graduate degree. But there is this little part of me that will have evidence that I somehow messed up in carrying Sprout, if anything goes wrong. That they can point to a chart and say "THAT much fudge is to blame!" But I go back for one more visit in December and then Sprout and I will go together in the new year. They will follow Sprout for 3 years, doing a bunch of testing throughout. Although maybe this will get me to eat better. Is that the desired outcome of the study, that eating patterns will change becasue of the study? Of course not. But it's some incentive for me.

This blog has been all about the happy parts of pregnancy. And there has been a lot of non-complaining about any effects on me. Well, time to rectify this. Presenting...

The uglier parts to this baby-growing session (act 1).

First is the worst! Bleeding gums. Crazy amounts of bleeding from the gums. I am not a huge fan of tooth-brushing, I find the frothy toothbrush soap repulsive. But since Sprout? I hate brushing. I have to, otherwise the bleeding is worse, but everytime my upper gums bleed. I have just added flossing daily, in hopes it'll help. It has helped. Helped the bleeding. Last night there was a river of blood dripping down my hand into the sink, from flossing. This? This will not be missed!

Aching ribs. My ribs are running out of room, and the muscle/cartilage/magic stuff between my ribs hurts. If I sit up perfectly straight with a slight backwards recline, it helps. But there is no way my posture can be that good all the time. And sleeping, whatever side I am sleeping on (because there is no tummy or back sleeping possible or allowed, respectively) that part of my ribs aches. I can deal with this better than the bleeding though.

Sleeping. I have always been a heavy sleeper. It takes me a bit to fall asleep but once the sandman has come I am out for the count. Now? You guessed it... not so much. Falling asleep is normal, but staying asleep is a challenge. I have to wake up to turn over/move now. When Neil is louder or moves, that will wake me too. My dreams are more vivid and that will sometimes wake me. Plus, even when Neil is quiet, I am comfy, dreams are not crazy I can still just wake up and be alert. This one will only get worse after Sprouticus is born, newborns aren't good for sleeping. But the day that sleep returns will be a glorious one!

Tiredness. From the above not sleeping. 'Nuff said.

Getting winded. Going up one flight of stairs winds me. I have to stop and catch my breath. Again, I am told this is expected, due to the changes in my lungs. But it's just a tad embarassing and annoying.

This last one may be TMI. But I have never been shy about sharing. Incontinence. Yup, my bladder is acting like a 75-yer old's! Most of the time I am just fine but when a sneeze comes up unexpected? Or when I have to strain too hard to move my ever growing torso? Dribbles. I am working on Kegals (when I remember) to rectify this. But years of yoga has taught me to clench my pelvic floor muscles, which is different than my Kegal exercise muscles and then I get confused and then I get lazy. Well, maybe forgetful is the biggest culprit.

I am always sure I have nothing to write. Then I start... and a novel emerges. Although I have noticed too many of my titles have exclamation points. In fact, there are just too! many! exclamation points! Period. (!) Must stop that nasty habit.